Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

Students enrolled in our course are encouraged to write for the course blog, and to read and comment on posts from students at other participating universities. The blog offers students the opportunity to analyze current events through the lens of the theory and case studies they engage with through the course.

These blogs reflect the views of the student authors, and not those of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

How Democracy Erodes: A Comparison between the U.S. and Brazil

Both the United States under President Trump and Brazil under Jair Bolsonaro experienced a period of anti-democratic rhetoric. That led to the decline of significant indicators of stable democratic regimes. Among these indicators are election intimidation, attacks on...

Why The Save Act Misses The Mark

The current administration's push for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act has become yet another polarizing topic between the left and the right. The SAVE America Act mandates voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship at the time of...

The Election That May Save Hungary’s Democracy

"Today we won because the Hungarian people didn't ask what their country could do for them, but what they could do for their country," -Péter Magyar Hungary just held its most consequential election in a generation, bringing an end to Viktor Orbán’s sixteen year reign...

Democratic Backsliding: Be Observant

Apr 20, 2026 | Suffolk University

Setting the Stage for Autocracy Democratic backsliding is nothing if not the gradual death of democracy. Democracy is eroded through incremental steps taken by the dominant...

Propaganda, The Iran War, and Democratic Erosion

Apr 20, 2026 | Suffolk University

The U.S. response to the Iran conflict demonstrates how propaganda and narrative manipulation transform foreign policy into a domestic political tool, contributing to...

The Modern Way to Lose Democracy .What’s Happening in Hungary Right Now?

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University, Universities

Hungary is a good example of breakdown countries. The most people think that countries in Europe have democracies that are stable, but Hungary is completely different. During the time, Hungary has...

Why Is Democracy Failing? South Africa’s Long-Term Rule Dilemma

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

After decades of dominance, South Africa’s ruling party has lost its majority and that might be exactly what the country needs. For nearly 30 years, the African National Congress (ANC) has dominated...

Democracy Under Elites: The Political Influence of Monarchy in Thailand

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

Although monarchies were once among the most dominant and widely accepted political systems in history, they are now less common yet often remain powerful and untouchable political institutions that...

Why Democracy Declined in Turkey: The Role of Polarization

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

Hook In the early 2000s, Turkey looked like a promising case of democracy. Many people believed it could become a stable liberal democracy, even in a Muslim-majority country. However, today, Turkey...

A Democracy in Costume

Apr 20, 2026 | American University, Universities

What do you do when your own country tries to fool you? If elections are the heart of democracy, then Venezuela should be heartless. It still holds elections. People still line up to vote....

The Zambian Plot Twist: Citizens who beat dictatorship in the mask of law

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

Forget the tanks! In the 21st century, the most dangerous weapon against democracy isn’t a gun. It’s a law. In a democracy, a "coup" is not the only dangerous thing when armed soldiers show up one...

Beginning of ‘Democratic Erosion’ in El Salvador

Apr 20, 2026 | American University, George Mason University, Universities

Sungeun Choi “The coolest dictator in the world.” This is how El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bokele, describes himself on social media. It might sound like a joke, but it shows a serious problem in...

Is Italy Undermining European Democracy?

Apr 20, 2026 | Suffolk University

Italy is no stranger to political upheaval. But today, many scholars and democratic organizations are asking the question: is Italy experiencing democratic backsliding? Under Prime Minister Giorgia...

Living in Fear: How Cartels Erode Democracy in Mexico

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

Do the social problems that we commonly experience in our daily lives really affect a country’s democracy, policies, and overall political system? The answer is yes. In now days in our society,...